Preaching Christ in a Postmodern World

Anchor of Truth
  • 5.0 (3)
  • CHRISTIANITY

Welcome to Preaching Christ in a Postmodern World, a transformative lecture series led by the late Dr. Tim Keller (1950–2023) and Dr. Edmund Clowney (1917–2005). Originally taught as a Doctor of Ministry course, this foundational series has shaped an entire generation of preachers, teachers, and ministry leaders. Throughout the episodes, Keller and Clowney pose a critical and challenging question: Is Jesus actually made visible in every sermon, or is He merely talked about? Moving beyond popular models of preaching that merely exhort on a moral level or attempt to evoke a fleeting emotional response, this course equips you with a robust, Christocentric approach to biblical exposition. Listeners will learn a profound model of preaching focused on three essential aspects to guide both the communicator and the congregation: 1. Expounding Christ: How does this specific text point to and reveal the person and work of Jesus Christ? 2. Applying Christ: How does this text demonstrate that the listener's life is spiritually impoverished without Him? 3. Adoring Christ: How can we use this text to lead the listener beyond mere intellectual understanding into genuine worship and adoration? Whether you are a pastor, a church planter, a theological student, or simply a believer who wants to read and communicate the Bible with Jesus at the center, this lecture series will fundamentally shift how you approach the Word of God.

Episodes

  1. MAR 21

    Q&A after The Structure of Redemptive History. Part 1

    How do you preach the fierce wrath of God in the Old Testament without losing the message of grace? And is finding Jesus in the Hebrew Scriptures politically incorrect? In this Q&A follow-up, Dr. Edmund Clowney and Dr. Tim Keller tackle some of the most challenging practical and theological questions that arise when preaching from the Old Testament. They address the profound tension between God's judgment and His mercy, reminding us that even Jesus spoke boldly about the reality of judgment. The instructors also share practical advice on sermon preparation, explaining why New Testament scholars are often bolder at pointing to Christ than Old Testament commentators. Finally, Dr. Keller shares his pastoral experience in New York City, offering a brilliant apologetic response to those who claim that preaching Christ from the Old Testament is "Christian imperialism" or racially insensitive. In this episode, you will learn: Wrath and Grace: How to properly preach God's judgment and why faithful preaching must both "draw" and "drive" people to Christ.The Commentary Hack: Why the best Christocentric insights for Old Testament passages are often found in the indexes of New Testament commentaries.The Apostolic Method: How the New Testament writers didn’t just give us the right theological answers, but actually taught us how to read the Old Testament.Handling Criticism: How to lovingly respond to the postmodern charge that reading Jesus into the Hebrew Scriptures is culturally insensitive.

    25 min

  2. MAR 19

    Expounding Christ: Structure of Redemptive History. Part 1

    Is the Old Testament just a rulebook of strict legalism, while the New Testament is all about grace? In this session, Dr. Edmund Clowney dismantles this common misconception, revealing the Old Testament as a profound record of God's relentless grace toward a rebellious people. Through a deep dive into the history of redemption, Dr. Clowney traces how God consistently initiates salvation, delivers His people, and makes a way to dwell among them despite their sin. By examining iconic Old Testament narratives—such as the Exodus, the Tabernacle, the Rock at Horeb, and Jacob's Ladder—listeners will discover how these historical events are not mere moralistic tales. Instead, they are powerful realities pointing directly to the person and work of Jesus Christ. The episode concludes with practical insights from Dr. Tim Keller on how this redemptive-historical approach deeply resonates with today's culture that craves a genuine experience of God. In this episode, you will learn: The Myth of Old Testament Legalism: Why God's covenant has always been rooted in grace, not human performance. The Rock of Judgment: A stunning look at Exodus 17, revealing how God stood on the rock to personally take the blow of judgment for His stiff-necked people. Babel vs. Bethel: The radical difference between man's attempt to reach heaven (the Tower of Babel) and God's gracious descent to man (Jacob’s Ladder). The Ultimate Tabernacle: How the physical presence of God in the Old Testament finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Preaching the Presence of God: How to use Old Testament narratives to help modern listeners truly encounter God, rather than just learning about Him.

    52 min
  3. Q & A after Introduction session

    05/31/2025

    Q & A after Introduction session

    Does preaching Christ from every text mean every sermon will end up sounding exactly the same? And how does a Christocentric approach connect with today's postmodern listener? In this follow-up Q&A session, Dr. Tim Keller and Dr. Edmund Clowney tackle the immediate, practical questions that arise when adopting a Christ-centered preaching model. They address the common fear of repetitiveness, explaining how different texts highlight entirely different aspects of Christ's finished work. Furthermore, Dr. Keller unpacks why the "redemptive-historical" approach—with its emphasis on grand narrative and corporate Kingdom renewal—is uniquely powerful for engaging a skeptical, postmodern culture. Finally, the instructors address the fine line between faithfully preaching Christ from the Old Testament and dangerously over-spiritualizing (or allegorizing) the text. In this episode, you will learn: How to avoid repetition: Why preaching the Gospel every week doesn't mean giving the same generic evangelistic appeal.The Postmodern connection: Why modern listeners resonate more with the biblical story of Kingdom renewal than with individualistic, systematic theology.The danger of allegorizing: How to establish proper interpretive controls so you don't turn Old Testament historical details into arbitrary metaphors.The Jonathan Edwards approach: How to move biblical truth from cognitive understanding to an existential reality in the listener's heart.Whether you are wrestling with how to preach Old Testament narratives or trying to communicate the Gospel to a skeptical audience, this Q&A offers profound, practical guardrails.

    37 min
  4. Introduction to the Christ-Centered Model and an Introduction to the Christ-Centered Exposition

    05/31/2025

    Introduction to the Christ-Centered Model and an Introduction to the Christ-Centered Exposition

    Is Jesus the climax of your sermon, or just an afterthought? In this foundational session, Dr. Tim Keller introduces the framework for Christ-centered exposition. Moving beyond moralism and information transfer, Keller challenges preachers to ensure their sermons move beyond a lecture into genuine corporate worship. In this episode, you will learn: The core danger of "Doctrinal," "Practical," and "Devotional" preaching. The 3 pillars of Christocentric preaching: Expounding, Applying, and Adoring Christ. How to analyze your own preaching through a Christ-centered lens. The David and Goliath test: shifting the focus from "what you must do" to "what Christ has done." Whether you are a pastor, teacher, or student, this episode will fundamentally shift how you read and proclaim the Word of God.

    22 min
  • 4 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Welcome to Preaching Christ in a Postmodern World, a transformative lecture series led by the late Dr. Tim Keller (1950–2023) and Dr. Edmund Clowney (1917–2005). Originally taught as a Doctor of Ministry course, this foundational series has shaped an entire generation of preachers, teachers, and ministry leaders. Throughout the episodes, Keller and Clowney pose a critical and challenging question: Is Jesus actually made visible in every sermon, or is He merely talked about? Moving beyond popular models of preaching that merely exhort on a moral level or attempt to evoke a fleeting emotional response, this course equips you with a robust, Christocentric approach to biblical exposition. Listeners will learn a profound model of preaching focused on three essential aspects to guide both the communicator and the congregation: 1. Expounding Christ: How does this specific text point to and reveal the person and work of Jesus Christ? 2. Applying Christ: How does this text demonstrate that the listener's life is spiritually impoverished without Him? 3. Adoring Christ: How can we use this text to lead the listener beyond mere intellectual understanding into genuine worship and adoration? Whether you are a pastor, a church planter, a theological student, or simply a believer who wants to read and communicate the Bible with Jesus at the center, this lecture series will fundamentally shift how you approach the Word of God.

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